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Reports: FBI's informant talked to multiple Trump campaign aides

Washington (CNN) – The FBI dispatched an informant to speak with at least two advisers to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign after the bureau obtained evidence that the aides had ties to Russia, according to multiple reports Friday.

Citing individuals familiar with the matter, The New York Times reported on Friday the informant interacted with Trump campaign advisers George Papadopoulos and Carter Page. The newspaper said it has uncovered the identity of the informant, who it described as “an American academic who teaches in Britain,” but noted that it “typically does not name informants to preserve their safety.”

The Washington Post reported the source met with Sam Clovis, the Trump campaign’s co-chairman, to talk about relations with China, in addition to Page and Papadopoulos. Clovis’ attorney told the Post Russia never came up in their conversation.

CNN has previously reported that a confidential intelligence source was not planted inside the Trump campaign to provide information to investigators, according to US officials, despite the President’s suggestion in recent days that an FBI informant was embedded in his campaign.

“Reports are there was indeed at least one FBI representative implanted, for political purposes, into my campaign for president,” Trump tweeted on Friday.

The Times reported there is no evidence that the informant “acted improperly” or that “agents veered from the F.B.I.’s investigative guidelines and began a politically motivated inquiry, which would be illegal.”

If the details in this story are accurate, the informant was only utilized after the CI investigation had already begun and specifically talked with Page and Coffee Boy because of the particular concerns tied to those two.

FBI Dir. Wray: "The day that we can’t protect human sources is the day the American people start becoming less safe… Sources in particular who put themselves at great risk… have to be able to trust that we’re going to protect their identities and in many cases their lives."